


Old Habits

by ParadoxMage



Series: Shorts [12]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Doctor Mercy, F/F, Guilty Mercy, Mercy Smokes, Smoking, old habits die hard, she doesn't like it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-05-19
Packaged: 2018-11-02 17:09:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10948992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ParadoxMage/pseuds/ParadoxMage
Summary: After a stressful day at work Angela indulges in an old habit. She hates herself for it.(Spoiler alert, she smokes.)





	Old Habits

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, been a while huh. Wrote this a loooooooong time ago based off of a piece of art by Overblotch (Amazing artist btw, seriously. SOOOOOOOO GOOD!) 
> 
> You can check out the art here- http://overblotch.tumblr.com/post/157056722774/old-habits

“Yes ma’am, I understand. Mhm. Yes. I see.” 

 

She wasn’t even paying attention anymore, just allowing herself to answer questions automatically. The woman in front of her was one of millions, the kind of person who saw a spider bite and thought they had stage four lung cancer. She’d been dealing with these “sick” people for most of the day and it was really starting to wear her down.

 

Eventually, after an hour long consultation that should’ve taken no more than thirty seconds with someone who actually saw reason, she managed to usher the distraught woman out of her office before she cracked and yelled herself hoarse. She sighed. No matter how much she wanted to do it, screaming at these people would only give her practice a bad reputation, and even then she’d still get these  _ idioten _ .

 

Running a hand through her hair in exasperation she took a look at her schedule for the day, groaning reflexively as her eyes wandered down the seemingly endless list of names. She just couldn’t deal with this shit right now. She needed a break.

 

Buzzing the receptionist via the intercom to tell her to hold her next patient for the next fifteen minutes, Angela reached into the back of one of her desk drawers, retrieving a small rectangular package. Quickly she moved to the small balcony attached to her office, stepped outside, and shut the door behind her. Removing a cigarette from the carton she fished around for a lighter in her pocket for a moment, producing a small noise of triumph when her search bore fruit. Lighting the cigarette with practiced ease, she took a deep drag, exhaling the sour smelling smoke a moment later.

 

She really hated this. She hated herself for smoking. She was a  _ doctor _ she knew what these things did to people. But, she thought, taking another drag, addiction is a powerful thing.

 

Angela regretted few things as much as when she had taken the cigarette an old friend had offered her. The habit had stuck with her ever since, and god how she hated it.

 

She took another deep pull, watching the charred red tip move closer to her lips as the grey ash grew. She knocked the spent material off on the railing before taking another pull.

 

“Angela! What are you doing?!”

 

Angela jumped in surprise, the cigarette dropping from her hand, shame and guilt flooding through her as she turned to face Fareeha.

 

“I was just…” She couldn’t even finish that sentence. Lying was futile and telling the truth would only make what she’d been doing that much more shameful.

 

“I don’t understand how you could even consider smoking. For God’s sake Angela, you’re a  _ doctor _ .”

 

Angela flinched at her girlfriend's words, but not once did she try and dispute them. She was right, which was the crux of the issue. Angela felt tears start to burn in the corners of her eyes. he quickly tried to wipe them away but more just kept coming.

 

Without having to think about it for a moment Fareeha reached over and enfolded the Swiss woman in a tight embrace, holding her close as Angela finally allowed her tears to flow freely.

 

Angela’s cigarette burned out at their feet, forgotten by all.

 

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. You’re okay.”

 

Fareeha gently held her close and waited for her tears to stop. 

 

Once Angela felt some small increment better she carefully disentangled herself from Fareeha’s hold, turning to look out at the city below.

 

“Angela?”

 

She turned in response, nodding to show that she wanted to hear whatever it was Fareeha had to say, though she didn’t yet trust her voice to say that.

 

“Why?”

 

Angela took a moment to steady herself, to collect herself. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say so much as a word she was cut off.

 

“You know what? It doesn’t matter. Just promise me you’ll quit, okay?”

 

Angela nodded in response, still afraid to speak.

 

“Those stupid little things kill so many people, I don’t want to see you end up as just another statistic.”

 

Angela nodded again. It was all she felt she could do at the moment. 

 

“You help so many people Angie, so many. It’s my job to help you.”

 

She still couldn’t bring herself to speak through the lump of emotions in her throat, so instead she pulled Fareeha into another hug, gripping her tightly.

 

After a moment Angela began to quietly giggle, Fareeha looking at her quizzically, clearly desiring an explanation for her laughter.

 

“It’s funny” said Angela, finally able to force words out of her mouth. “We head into combat with relative ease but I smoke a cigarette and we both break.”

 

Fareeha chuckled as well as the image sank in before leaning forward planting a quick kiss on Angela’s lips. They still had the lingering taste of tobacco on them.

 

“What would I do without you? My knight in shining armor, saving me from myself.”

 

“Someone has to remind you that you’re worth saving.”

 

Angela smiled and leaned up to kiss her back.

 

“Ich liebe dich.”

“Ahabak.”

**Author's Note:**

> So what do you guys think? Not one of my favorite things I've done but I felt like posting it, so here you go. Hope you enjoyed and I hope to see you again soon.


End file.
